Apparatus for marking strands



Ap 5 E. K. BAUER 2,548,856

APPARATUS FOR MARKING STRANDS Filed Oct. 22, 1946 INVENTOR. ffi/VEST I 1. AUER Patented Apr. 17, 1951 APPARATUS FOR MARKING STRANDS Ernest K. Bauer, Meadville, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application October 22, 1946, Serial No. 704,937

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for marking continuously running strands, and particularly those of a warp sheet, at predetermined intervals during the winding or other manipulation thereof, such as on a spool or beam. The purpose of the marking is to Warn or advise subsequent operators of the length of the strands used during certain textile operations, such as in weaving, knitting, braiding or the like. 7

' An important object of the invention is to provide a marking system which applies a controlled amount of marking medium even when the strands are running at extremely high speeds. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the drawing and the description thereof hereinafter.

In the drawing, the inventionis shown as applied to a running warp, such as during beaming and Figure 1 is aside elevation of a device embodying the invention as associated with a warp as it proceeds on its way from a creel to a beamer,

Figure 2 is a plan view,

Figure 3 is a section on line IIIIII of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Figure 3.

As illustrated, the warp is undergoing marking, the horizontal dotted line representing the normal path of the yarn warp when not being marked. It is to be understood, however, that marking may be accomplished without any substantial deflection of the yarn from its normal path of travel. The marking element comprises an applicator in the form of an arcuate wiping shoe 2 carried on the radial plate 3 secured to a sleeve 4 (such as by welding, soldering, or the like) rotatably mounted on shaft 5. The peripheral wiping surface of the element 2 is preferably substantially concentric with respect to shaft 5 and is preferably of a rigid, smooth material, exerting no abrasive action on the'yarns. A pinion 6 is secured to shaft 5 for rotation therewith as by a pin 1. Except for the portion carrying pinion 6, shaft 5 extends through a receptacle or housing 8, opposite walls of which may be provided with bearings 9 to support the shaft. Within the housing, the shaft 5 has-secured to it as by a set screw [0, a disk ll carrying a pawl l2 and a leaf spring l3 normally urging the pawl into the teeth of ratchet l 4 secured to the sleeve 4.

The housing 8 contains a felt or similar absorbent pad I5 of a sufiicient thickness that its upper layer is compressed when the Wiper 2 is swung into contact therewith, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. The top of the housing 8 has an opening l6 which may be of rectangular slope as shown, and one edge'of the top may be bent back to form the tongue I1, the edge of which is opposed to and just clears the wiper 2 as the latter is swung up from the felt pad l5 to marking position so that tongue I! wipes 01f excess marking medium carried by wiper 2 before the latter reaches the yarn, thereby controlling the amount applied.

A closed container l8 for the marking liquid is connected to the felt layer in the housing 8 by the conduit l9 which may be provided by a cook 20. A removable plug 2| is provided to permit complete filling and subsequent closing of the container I8. After filling the container, the cock 20 is opened and the marking medium then flows to pad l5, maintaining it in a saturated condition.

A rack 22 engages the pinion 6. A rod 23 projects laterally from the rack over the strands in the warp. The rod lies in a plane that is offset from a vertical plane through the axis of pinion 6; so that the wiper blade 2 does not strike rod 23 when the latter assumes its lower position which is such that the strands are deflected into contact with wiper 2 at its upper position. 'If desired the marking device may be positioned somewhat higher than shown so thatapplicator element 2 wipes the yarn in its normalpath of travel in which event, rod 23 may be omitted. A leaf spring 23a extends from one end wall of the housing into the way of plate 3 and serves as a brake to stop the wiper 2 on the pad.

The lower end of rack 22 may be of a material, such as iron, which has electromagnetic properties and is arranged, concentrically with respect to a solenoid 24 so that when thelatter is energized, it moves the rack downwardly in opposition to spring 25 which bears against a pin 26 extending through the rack and normally urges the rack to its upper position.

q The energization of 'the'solenoid 24 is preferably effected intermittently at intervals which correspond with known lengths of the strand or strands. from the driving connections for the spool or beamer or the means for feeding the strand or strands such as the twodriven nip rolls 2'! and 28. Fixed to the shaft .29 carrying roll 21 is a pinion 30 in mesh with a gear 31 secured to shaft 32 carrying a disk 33 of insulating material pro vided with conductive insert 34; 'A' spring 35 the disk so that the'cond'uctive terminal brushes Thus, its energization may be derived 31 and 38 on the lever are pressed into contact with the periphery of the disk and at intervals are shunted by contact with the inset 34. The gears 30 and 3| are selected to give the desired yardage between energization of the solenoid 24 by the shuntings of brushes 3'! and 38 by inset 34. These gears 38 and 3| may be replaced by any form of conventional gear reducer to give the desired spacing between markings which may be frequent or widely spaced depending on the precise purpose of the marking as will be explained in somewhat more detail hereinafter.

The electric circuit for energizing the solenoid 24 comprises the line 39 connecting one terminal thereof with brush 38, line 40 connecting the other terminal of the solenoid with one side of V a current source 4|, and a master control switch 42 in a third line 43 connecting brush 3? to the other side of the current source 4|. 7

The operation briefly: is as follows: When contact 34 closes the circuit to solenoid 24, the rack 22 is drawn downwardly, rotating the wiper 2 clockwise (as shown in Figure 1) through a complete revolution. The rod' 23 pulls the strand or strands downwardly sufficiently to cause it or them to be wiped by the blade 2 as it passes through the upper reach of its cycle. The blade 2. sweeps past. the depth control wiper I! on its Way to marking position and is stopped in its lowest position in contact with the pad by the brake 23a so that it is poised in contact with the marking medium for the next stroke. When element 34 opens the solenoid circuit, spring returns the rack 22, ratchet. l4 permitting such return without rotation of wiper 2.

The marking medium may be of permanent or of fugitive inks or dyes and may be applied to a single yarn as it is being wound into package form of conical, cylindrical or spherical shape for the purpose of indicating a definite yardage between successive marks. It may be applied to the warp as it is being wound on a beamer so that as the yarn is, withdrawn in a loom, it is possible to determine when a certain length of fabrics has been woven. Again, in warp-knittingmachines, the marking. system may be employed to control the relative speeds of two or more supplies, such as in Kaufman Patent 2,298,888 but without the necessity to mark the yarns during knitting. For this purpose, the frequency of marking of the several beams forming. the source of supply for the several warps may be the same and adjustably-spaced observation station similar to those of the patent may be provided. Or the frequency of markings of the several warps may. be related inversely to. the rates of speed of the several warps so that coincidence of the markings of each warp occurs, at definite intervalswhich may be timed at a single observation station or watched at two or more stations suitably spaced apart along the yarn travel.

It is to be understood that changes and. variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for mar-king a strand running longitudinally in a path comprising a generally straight portion comprising a rotatable applicator having a shoe with an arcuate peripheral.

wiping surface, means for supplying a liquidmarking medium to the arcuate surface of the applicator shoe, means for rotating. "the applicator intermittently, and means synchronized with 4 l the rotating means for intermittently moving the strand laterally from its normal running path toward the applicator into the path of the arcuate surface of the shoe.

2. A device for marking a strand running lon gitudinally in a path comprising a generally straight portion comprising a rotatable applicator having a shoe with an arcuate peripheral wiping surface, said applicator being mounted on an axis offset from and extending in a direction transverse of the strand path, means for supplying a liquid-marking medium to the applicator shoe, means for rotating the applicator intermittently, and means synchronized with the rotating means for intermittently moving the strand laterally, from its normal running path toward the applicator into the path of the shoe.

3. A device for marking a running strand comprising a rotatable applicator having a shoe with an arcuate peripheral wiping surface, said applicator being mounted onan axis oifest from and extending in a direction transverse of the strand path, means for supplying a liquid-marking medium to the applicator shoe, means for removing excess marking medium from the applicator to control the amount carried thereby to marking position, means for rotating the applicator intermittently past the excess-removing means and the marking station, and means synchronized with the rotating means for intermittently moving the strand laterally from its normal running path toward the applicator into the path of the arcuate surface of the shoe.

4. A device for marking a strand running longitudinally in a path comprising a generally straight portion comprising a receptacle positioned beneath the path of the strand for containing a layer of a liquid marking medium in the bottom thereof, a rotatable shaft above said layer, an applicator having a shoe with an arcuate peripheral wiping surface, said applicator being carried by the shaft for rotation from a lower position in which the arcuate surface of the shoe is in contact with the layer through an upper marking position in which the arcuate surface of the shoe is above the receptacle, means for intermittently rotating the applicator, and means synchronized with the rotating means for inter mittently moving the strand laterally from its normal running path toward the applicator into the path of the shoe.

7 5. A device for marking a strand running longitudinally in a path comprising a generally straight portion comprising a receptacle positioned beneath the path of the strand for containing a layer of a liquid marking medium in the bottom thereof, a rotatable shaft above said layer, an applicator having a shoe with an arcuate peripheral wiping surface, said applicator be ing carried by the shaft for rotation from a lower position in which the arcuate surface of the .shoe is in contact with the layer through an upper marking position in which the arcuate surface of the shoe is above the receptacle, means for intermittently rotating the applicator, and means adjacent the path that said applicator shoe follows from its lower position to the markingposition for removing excess medium therefrom.

6. A device for marking a running strand comprising a receptacle positioned beneath the path of the strand for containing. a layer of a liquid marking medium in the. bottom thereof, a rotatable shaft above said layer, an applicator having an arcuate wiping shoe carried by the shaft for rotation from a lower position in which the shoe is in contact with the layer through an upper marking position in which the shoe is above the receptacle, means for intermittently rotating the applicator, and means for stopping the applicator in contact with the layer of marking medium.

7. A device for marking a running strand comprising a receptacle positioned beneath the path of the strand for containing a layer of a liquid marking medium in the bottom thereof, a rotatable shaft above said layer, an applicator having an arcuate wiping shoe comprising a concentric peripheral Wiper surface carried by the shaft for rotation from a lower position in which the shoe is in contact with the layer through an upper marking position in which the shoe is above the receptacle, means for intermittently rotating the applicator, means adjacent the path of said applicator shoe from its lower position to the marking position for removing excess medium therefrom, and means for stopping the applicator in contact with the layer of marking medium.

8. A device for marking a running strand comprising a receptacle positioned beneath the path of the strand for containing a layer of a liquid marking medium in the bottom thereof, a rotatable shaft above said layer, an applicator having an arcuate wiping shoe rotatably carried by the shaft for rotation from a lower position in which the shoe is in contact with the layer through an upper marking position in which the shoe is above the receptacle, a ratchet secured to the applicator, a pawl engaging the ratchet secured for rotation by the shaft, a pinion secured for rotation with the shaft, a reciprocable rack engaging the pinion, and means for reciprocating the rack.

9. A device for marking a running strand comprising a receptacle positioned beneath the path of the strand for containing a layer of a liquid marking medium in the bottom thereof, a rotatable shaft above said layer, an applicator having an arcuate wiping shoe rotatably carried by the shaft for rotation from a lower position in which the shoe is in contact with the layer through an upper marking position in which the shoe is above the receptacle, a ratchet secured to the applicator, a pawl engaging the ratchet secured for rotation by the shaft, a pinion secured for rotation with the shaft, a reciprocable rack engaging the pinion, means for reciprocating the rack, a rod carried by the rack in a position normally above the path of the strand, said rod moving the strand toward the applicator when the rack rotates the applicator.

comprising a receptacle positioned beneath the path of the strand for containing a layer of a liquid marking medium in the bottom thereof, a rotatable shaft above said layer, an applicator having an arcuate wiping shoe rotatably carried by the shaft for rotation from a lower position in which the shoe is in contact with the layer through an upper marking position in which the shoe is above the receptacle, a ratchet secured to the applicator, a pawl engaging a ratchet secured for rotation by the shaft, a pinion secured for rotation with the shaft, a reciprocable rack engaging the pinion, means for reciprocating the rack, a rod carried by the rack in a position normally above the path of the strand, said rod moving the strand toward the applicator when the rack rotates the applicator, and a spring braking element for engaging the applicator to stop it while it is still in contact with the layer.

11. A device for marking a running strand comprising a receptacle positioned beneath the path of the strand for containing a layer of a liquid marking medium in the bottom thereof, a rotatable shait above said layer, an applicator having an arcuate wiping shoe rotatably carried by the shaft for rotation from a lower position.

in which the shoe is in contact with the layer through an upper marking position in which the shoe is above the receptacle, a ratchet secured to the applicator, a pawl engaging the ratchet secured for rotation by the shaft, a pinion secured for rotation with the shaft, a reciprocable rack engaging the pinion, means for reciprocating the rack, and a tongue extending from the upper wall of the receptacle into proximity to the path of the applicator on its upward swing to marking position, said tongue controlling the amount of medium carried by the applicator to marking position.

ERNEST K. BAUER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 876,106 Spencer, et a1 Jan. 7, 1908 1,437,285 Weightman et al Nov. 28, 1922 1,845,010 Zavodoff Feb. 16, 1932 1,929,192 Taylor Oct. 3, 1933 1,997,926 Franks Apr. 16, 1935 2,387,867 Adams Oct. 30, 1945 

